Decatur Stories The 1950s with Judy

by LaRocca, Judy Reach

• ISBN13: 9781667842677
• ISBN10: 1667842676
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2022-08-15
• Publisher: BookBaby

Summary

Decatur Stories: The 1950s with Judy Book two in the Reaching for Life Series
This book is filled with both fun and charming tales of a pre-teen and teenaged girl with her Reach family of seven living in North Georgia. Each chapter is a short story with dialogue both humorous and touching, all based on her actual life.
Perhaps just a pinch of salt is added here and there for flavor. A touch of humor, a bit of reality, and a lot of family love. She finds her first friends at Fifth Avenue Elementary, then increases her circle of friends in Decatur High School. Family values were taught, and lessons of love were learned.
The Reach family was large, colorful, and interesting from her Revenue Agent father, to her strong -spirited and loving mother. Judy was the youngest child with three active brothers and one sister. There was never a dull moment when recounting her childhood, but there was always love.
Judy's wants her words to be a gift to her family, friends, and everyone so that these memories will not be lost, but remembered with warmth, love, and humor. Each of these different people and personalities hold a thread that weaves through her diverse and colorful stories.
'Reading this book, we get a strong sense of the author's family, the Reach Family, with all their ups and downs, mannerisms, and endearing traits. A well written, thoughtful book filled with humor. The author writes from the love of her family and friends which she deeply feels." MJ
"Two things I especially like about this book. The first is the gentle, but persistent humor, woven into the story. It goes well with her loving style and makes the book sparkle.The second is the bulleted lists that she includes to summarize characteristics of the era--movies, TV shows, music, even slang expressions and more. These are thorough and fun lists; everyone will find something new in them." Mary S
Anyone who has a family will find their own fond childhood memories.

Author Biography

Words and their power, when properly used, have been part of Judy Reach LaRocca's life from early childhood. Her mother was a schoolteacher who gave her entire family of five children a desire for education while stressing correct grammar, polite manners, and a healthy curiosity. Her father held a job of great authority as a Revenue Officer for the state of Georgia; however, his good nature and gentleness created an appreciation of humor and inspired an active imagination in each of the children.
Having these role models in her life gave Judy a love for learning, while always using her imagination and humor to keep a balance in her life. When taking an English course in college, she began to fully appreciate poetry and prose and began committing to paper her thoughts in these forms. When her love of writing was sparked, she would continue to put down her thoughts in verse and prose.
The author's early working years began as a teen with many pan-time jobs; however, her first occupation was Office Manager for a doctor performing cancer research at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. During the 60s, she had a career with Delta Airlines as a Stewardess stationed in Atlanta and New Orleans. After she married her husband, Bob, they moved to Hartford, Connecticut where Bob began his career as an Aeronautical engineer. Their children, Beth and Tony, were born in Hartford where Judy's role as a wife and parent took precedent for a number of years. When the children began school, she was able to have part-time work while continuing to write her verses and stories.
Judy and Bob had met in Daytona Beach, Florida and loved the warm weather, so after five years of being in the north, they decided to return to the south.
Eventually settling in Jacksonville, Florida, where resided for forty-six years, with.
They now live just a little south of Mandarin in Saint Johns, Florida.
During the ten years she worked with a Real Estate Appraiser in
Jacksonville, she also spent time helping out at the Georgie Girl fashion boutique. There she learned to plan fashion shows and the retail business, finally opening her own boutique, Judy 's ofMandarin, and Classy Lady boutiques, carrying a unique line of clothing and accessories. This endeavor was a joy for this author not only from working with people but planning, creating and moderating many fashion productions.
After Judy's husband opened his own business, Reeves Insulation and Construction, this became the center of their lives, For more than Thirty-Five years, the whole family has worked together toward making it the thriving business it is today. Today their son Tony LaRocca is running the business as President of Reeves, Inc., Bob is always available if needed.
Being blessed with four grandsons and two granddaughters, their lives are very full and happy. At last the author has been given the gift of time to write more often and put into words the richness of a life, by no means always lived perfectly, but lived with faith and love always with a little humor into the mix.
So it is that Judy's roots began in Waycross, Georgia, but with each move, each change, and each new adventure, she and her family have had a great ride. Granted, they have had a few downs, but many more ups, all leading to where and who she is today; simply Judy Reach LaRocca, a wife of fifty-five years, mother of three wonderful children, proud grandmother of six and now an author of books eager to share her stories about her family and life.